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Picturesque Illinois was the 21st state in the USA; it became a state on December 3, 1818.
State Abbreviation: IL
State Nickname: Prairie State
Capital City: Springfield
Area: 57,918 square miles [Illinois is the 25th biggest state in the USA]
Population: 12,419,293 (as of 2000) [Illinois is the fifth most populous state in the USA, after California, New York, Texas, and Florida]
Bird: Cardinal
Flower: Illinois Native (purple) Violet
Tree: White oak
Largest Cities: Chicago, Rockford, Aurora, Naperville, Peoria, Springfield, Joliet, Elgin, Waukegan, Cicero
Bordering States: Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin
Bordering Body of Water: Lake Michigan
Major Rivers: Mississippi River, Ohio River, Illinois River, Wabash River
Major Lakes: Lake Michigan, Rend Lake
Highest Point: Charles Mound - 1,235 feet (376 m) above sea level
Agriculture: Corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, dairy products, wheat
Industry: Machinery, food processing, electric equipment, chemical products, printing and publishing, fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, petroleum, coal
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